Abstract
Cosmic inflation is commonly assumed to be driven by quantum fields. Quantum mechanics predicts phenomena such as quantum fluctuations and tunneling of the field. Here, we show an example of a quantum interference effect which goes beyond the semiclassical treatment and which may be of relevance in the early Universe. We study the quantum coherent dynamics for a tilted, periodic potential, which results in genuine quantum oscillations of the inflaton field, analogous to Bloch oscillations in condensed matter and atomic systems. The underlying quantum superpositions are typically very fragile but may persist in the early Universe giving rise to quantum interference phenomena in cosmology.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 101302 |
Journal | Physical Review D |
Volume | 93 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 25 May 2016 |